Briquet machinery.



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PATBNTED AUG. 21, 1906.

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T. B. `WILGOX. BRIQUET MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED MAL?, i905.

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PATBNTED AUG. 21, 1906.

T. B. WILUOX.

BRIQUET MAGHINERY. Arruon'mn FILED un. 1, 1005.

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WVM/tease@ N0. 829,045. V PATBNTED AUG. 21, 1906. T. B. WILGOX.

BRIQUET MACHINERY.

APPLIULTION FILED MAB. 7, 1805.

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www @one o UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE B. l/VILCOX, OFNEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TO HIMSELF, AND TllREE-FOURTHS TO GEORGE W. MORGAN,

JR., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BRIQUET MACHINERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1906.

Application filed March 7,1905. Serial 110.248.822.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE B. WILCOX, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, county of Essex, State of VNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Briquet Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in briquet machinery and the products obtained by operating the same.

While the machine is described as being especially adapted to the forming of briquets from finely divided coal with a suitable binder, yet it can be used for forming tablets or similar shapes, whatever may be the material em loyed. The machine can, for example, e applied to the compression of iron ores or other mineral eres in a finely-divided state and to the product arising from such use. In such cases a binder, either dry or wet, will generally be employed to complete the operation and to hold the shapes that are formed by the machine. The machine can also be utilized to form medical capsules or tablets, and it is also adapted to other uses, such as will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

The s ecial feature of the present invention is t at of shaping a briquet, tablet, or other form in such a way as to be easy of formation, and also that it can be readily ejected from the machine after having been formed without danger of sticking or sucking, so as not to interfere with the normal operation of the apparatus. To this end the machine itself is also adapted, as will appear from the specification which follows. Any suitable binders may be employed to assist in the formation and maintenance of the shapes.

I have illustrated my invention in the aecompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine adapted for the purpose mentioned. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same, and Figs. 3, 4, 5,

l 6, 7, and 8 are detail views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the base of the machine, the same being supported upon suitable standards or uprights 2 2. Upon the base 1 is supported a frame 3, connected to the base by means of standards 4 4. The

base 1 supports suitable journals 5 5, in which are mounted shafts 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. The shaft 6 may be taken as the driving-shaft of the machine and on it is secured a sprocket-wheel 12, which is connected by a sprocket-chain 13 with a similar sprocket-wheel 14 on the shaft 11. The s aft 6 also carries a gear-wheel 15, which engages with a pinion 16 on the shaft '7. The said pinion in turn engages with a gear-wheel 17 on the shaft 8, while the last-named gearwheel engages with a corresponding gearwheel 18 on a shaft 19, mounted in a journal 20 on the frame 3. At the opposite end of the machine the shaft 11 carries a gear-Wheel 21, engaging with a pinion 22 on the shaft 10, the latter engaging with a gear-wheel 23 on the shaft 9. The gear-wheel 23 enga es with a corresponding gear-wheel 24 on a s aft 25, mounted in a journal 26 on the frame 3.

It will be understood that when power from any suitable source is applied to the shaft 6 and the said shaft is rotated the s rocket-wheel 12 will be moved with the sliaft and will through the medium of the sprocket-chain 13 actuate the s rocketwheel 14 and the shaft 11. At tie same time the movement of the shafts 6 Yand 11 will operate, respectively, the gear-wheels 15 and 21, thereby setting in operation the system of gears represented at one end of the machine by the pinion 16 and the gearwheels 17 and 18 and at the other end of the machine by the pinion 22 and the gear-wheels 23 and 24.

The system of gearing herein described and shown is simply typical of a gearing that is suitable for the purpose of this invention. It would be entirely Within the scope of the invention to turn the gear-wheels 18 and 24 by an intermediate gear or set of gears so as to accomplish the same result. The sprocketchain 13 is made in the usual way; but at each pivot of the sprocket-chain I arrange a die 30, of the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7. It will be seen that the edges of these dies are beveled, so that when the dies are brought to the ends of the machine where the chain bends upon the sprocket-wheels they have sufficient play to pass around the wheels without binding on each other.

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Between fouriof the posts 4 4 I mount a table 27, the upper surface of which is l lat and. which is rigidly supported in position. The sprocket-chain, together with the dies carried thereby, )ass ovei the table 27 and are moved along tlie upper surface thereof by the driving mechanism already described.

Near one end of the machine l arrange a hopper 31, coniii'iunicating with a feed-pipe 32, through which the material which is to be formed into the desired shapes is initiallyv carried. The material may be dry or it may be `in a plastic or viscuous state, being provided with a suitable binder, as set forth above. The material falls by gravity to the bottom of the hopper and is there effected by a paddle or Wiper 33, which rotates in the hopper 31 on a shaft 34. The said shaft 34 may be driven through the medium of a gear- Wheel 35 or any suitable means from a source of power which is not shown in the drawings.

On the shaft 25 is mounted a drum or sleeve 36, into which project rods 37 37, which rods are connected or formed in one piece with heads 40 40, as shown. Springs 39 39 are connected at corresponding ends to the heads 40 40 and at their opposite ends to the drum or sleeve 36, the action of the springs being to draw the `rods toward the axis of the drum or sleeve. The shaft 25 is rigid in its bearings, while the drum or sleeve rotates on the said shaft, its rotation being governed by the gearewheel 24, to which the drum or sleeve is joined. As the gear-Wheel 24 rotates it carries with it the drum 36 and also the formers 40 4() and brings the said formers successively into contact with `the material in the dies 30 30, the gearing being so timed that this action takes place. The upper ends of the openings in the dies are flared, so as to admit the formers, and the gearing is so timed that Whenever the charge 1n a die comes under the center of the shaft 25 one of the formers 4() will be pressed against the material and serve to compress it to a certain extent. The means for forcing the former into firm contact with the material are similar to those which Will be described later on in connection with the mechanism surrounding the shaft 19.

It will be seen that the 'lower part of each opening in the die has parallel walls or is circular in shape, While the up er end flares, as described. The material Wi l be compressed between one of the formers 40 and the table 27, this compression serving as the first act in forming the final bri uet or other shape. On the shaft 19 a sim ar drum 41 is loosely mounted, and this is provided with similar rods, springs, and formers, all of Which ma r be designated under the character 42. similar condition exists at 'the shaft 8, Where spring-pressed formers 43 are provided as before; but whereas the ends of the forincrs 40 are llat the ends of the forincrs 42 and 43 are hollowed out, as indicated in dotted lines in. Fig. 3. Means for adjusting the springs will generally be used in comiection with the foiiners 40, 42, and

Keyed to the shaft 1U, as clearly shown iii Fig. 3, is a sleeve 44, having a single camtooth. 45, formed in one piece. with it or at tached to it. This eccentric as the drum 41 rotates engages with one after the other of the heads or formers 42 as the latter rotates with the drum and presses it into firm contact with the material in the die. A similar construction exists and a similar action takes place in connection with the heads or formers 43, and the saine device may be used in connection with the heads or formers 40, already described.

Owing to the shapes of the heads or formers 42 and 43 the material constituting the substance of the bri uet is finally formed into approximately the s iape illustrated in Fig. 5. After being so formed it is carried forward by the movement of the sprocket-chain and is there brought into cooperation with an 0ctagonal drinn 46 on the shaft 6. This drum is provided with buttons or punchers 47, which are exactly in line with the openings in the dies 30. Accordingly when the material has been shaped, as described, the briquets are pushed out by the buttons 47 and may fall to the floor or be collected in any suitable receptacle.

By virtue of the punchingwout process 4last described and the use of a sprocket device carrying a large number of dies with openings side by side the formation 'of briquets or other shapes can be made very rapid and the output of the machine correspondingly great.

The final shape given to the briquet by the formers 42 and 43 is such that lthe briquets do not stick in. the die-openings, but can be pushed out readily by the buttons or punchn ers 47. This is a valuable feature of my invention. If desired, a table may be arranged under the sprocket-chain and dies at a point beyond that where the briquets are finally shaped, and this will prevent all danger of the bri uets falling out prematurely.

It will be observed that the shape given to the briquet, tablet, or other product is one having straight sides in distinction from a curved or egg-shaped surface. This relieves the sticking effect which would otherwise exist and prevents the withdrawal ofthe briuet or tablet bv being carried out through t e action of either of the dies. In general the shape of the bri not or tablet may be described as that of (the frustum of a double cone.

I claim as `my invention- 1. The combination with a horizontal moving die having parallel sides and carrying ma- IOO IIO

terial to be shaped, of formers engaging the said material from opposite sides and pressing it in a direction at right angles to the movement ofthe die.

2. The combination With a horizontal moving die havin parallel sides and carrying material to be s aped, of formers engaging the said material from opposite sides and pressing it in a direction at right angles to the io movement ofthe die, the said formers having internal surfaces which permit of the ready removal of the product when it is formed or shaped.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 27th day 15 

